Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Phase 2, week 2

Hi all

At this point you should really just be looking at the past week. You can scan many headlines or try to summarize a source or two; in either case, it's important from now on that you keep the source with the information, not at the bottom.

Keep going with the map. You'll have to figure out how to indicate different types of information; we'll debrief in class.

44 comments:

According to Al Jazeera, another Bedouin Palestinian village is set to be bulldozed over by the Israeli Land Administration (ILA) in the region of Negev for two reasons: The Palestinian village is not recognized as legal and therefore must be destroyed. The Israeli government also wants to build a Jewish village after destroying the Palestinian one. This is one of the many cases of Palestinian villages destroyed legally, in terms of Israeli law.

More than 200 wildfires have been burning Israel to the ground in the past week. Major cities like Hebron have been evacuated. Both Israelis and Palestinians are concerned. The Times Of Israel has spoken up about the wildfires, suspecting them as being enlarged or even started by terrorists with arson. Netanyahu announced that the residency of these terrorist will be taken away. The Palestinian Info Center says new checkpoints have been established in Kiryat Gat (halfway between Gaza and Jerusalem) due to a heightened fear of insecurity.

According to Haruna Umar from “ABC News”, On the 22nd, Boko Haram terrorists took over the town of Chibok in northeastern Nigeria causing its population to flee. “Nine villages within 25 kilometers of Chibok town have been razed in the past two weeks”. The group has multiplied their attacks because the rainy season is over making them more mobile. On the same day, According to “Zee News”, Nigeria leaked a banner with photographs of 55 wanted Boko Haram fighters in Lagos. According to “ABC News”, on the 23rd, a Boko Haram suicide bomber kills 1 person at a bus station in Maiduguri. According to “Zee News”, On the 25th, the jihadists raided three villages in northeastern Nigeria killing 5 Nigerians and setting fire to homes and nearby fields.

The war against the Islamic State is still raging on and is usually the factor of most battles occurring in Libya. Benghazi is Libya’s second-largest city and for a couple of years had been the fighting ground of the renegade military against the Islamic State affiliates. About week ago from the 21st of November, Khalifa Hifter, military commander of renegade military, expelled Islamic militants from their stronghold inside the city, however fighting still perdures. In response, it is claimed that ISIS retaliated by engineering a car bomb that happened outside a hospital on the 21st of November. The attack killed three people and wounded many more, it was the third attack on the medical facility this year. The hospital is located in the heart of a city, and near a facility where children had finished school. This attack really impacted the mentality of the residents who have been living in constant fear since a few years.

Ukrainian and Russian politics are becoming more and more alarming to European countries. The Guardian reported that last week, Ukrainian justice minister Pavlo Petrenko appointed a 23 year-old graduate to purge the government of corrupt officials. Political analyst Vadim Karasyov even said that “Ukrainian politics looks increasingly like a circus show in which clowns come to succeed frustrated professionals”, therefore making it loose its credibility. It also reported that, in very recent days, European countries have wanted to reengage in a discussion about arms control in Russia. They feel it is a necessary step in maintaining dialogue with Russia as well as peace and security. Furthermore, there is still ongoing violence on the Ukrainian ground: Russian forces violated a ceasefire 28 times by November 25th: shelling destroyed houses in Staromykhailivka on the 24th of November; a Ukrainian serviceman was killed by an enemy sniper in Opytne on the 25th of November. However, there are also humanitarian problems, with for example multiple cities in the East of Ukraine not haing water since the pumping station power supply was damaged by shelling.

News source, Aljazeera announced the arrival of Japanese peacekeepers in South Sudan and, noted this deplacement of Japan’s armies as the “first overseas fighting since World War II”. In South Sudan, the newcomers join 12,000 UN peacekeepers already in place in the country. They will be expected to guard UN bases targeted during the conflict and work on engineering and the construction in Juba. Meanwhile, Machar’s whereabouts continue to be tracked. Headlines claimed Ethiopia kept Machar from staying in the country. However, a Sudan Tribune article cleared the ambiguity surrounding the potential threat to deport Machar. An Ethiopian representative claimed there to be a problem with immigration papers and no political motives behind his sending away. The article continued by claiming that “any attempt to separate or depose Machar from the movement to depose him from the leadership will worsen the situation” of S. Sudan. Machar’s presence will be mandatory for peace to reach South Sudan. In fact, in a separate article interviewing foreign minister Deng Alor Kuol and Kiir anticipated visits to the Gulf, mentions of the “coup still rooted for in some tropical areas” were made.

According to news source Aljazeera, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside a Shia mosque on the 21st of November. The attack occurred in the capital of Afghanistan, Kaboul, killing 27 shiite worshippers and wounding dozen others while they gathered to celebrate the end of the Ashura. Despite all accusations, the Taliban do not claim responsibility for the act (Le Monde). However, according to Le Monde and the Reuters, all accusations are valid, due to the fact the Islamic group has already carried out numerous attacks on the Shiite group in the recent past (13th October: 30 dead, 23 July 85 dead).Furthermore, on the 25th of November in the provincial capital of the eastern province Jalalabad City, a series of three explosion killed 5 and injured 27 others. According to The International News, the Taliban goal was to attack the head of the police department. The next day, 26th of November, officials reported to have killed five Taliban in the same province, 120 km from Jalalabad City.

According to a survey published in Spiegel Online (a German news reporter), support for the EU has increased in five of the sixth biggest EU countries: 77% in Poland, 69% in Germany, 53% in France and 51in Italy, with a slight drop in Spain to 68%. The UK has enforced changes in visa policy on November 24 in order to curb immigrant numbers, which will mostly affect a great number of Indians, especially IT professionals. (Hindustin News) Accidents are cause of recent death and violence in Greek island camps; the latest incident was the death of a woman and her child after a gas cylinder exploded in Moria camp on November 24. This caused protest among other asylum seekers of the hotspot; clashes with police left six injured.The EU Commission declared on November 25 that ties with Turkey are maintained, despite an earlier vote to suspend talks by the majority of EU parliament.

Hadi’s requested 48 hour-long truce between Houthi forces and the coalition came to an end on Monday at noon. There was no further indication to expand the truce, as there had been multiple violations by the Houthis. The Yemeni National Army and spokesmen for the coalition claim that there had been “180 violations in the first 10 hours of the ceasefire”, notably in the regions of Marib, Al-Baida’a and Taiz.On wednesday, ISIS took responsibility for the murder Col. Abd Al-Rahim Al-Dale’i by posting a video in which they carry out the execution. On friday, the Houthis launched 11 missiles into al-Tuwal, a Saudi Arabian village that shares border with Yemen. The coalition had been attacking the region of Dhahran and cities like Jazan from across the border. On the same day, a Saudi launched raid in the Marib province resulted in the death of seven rebels (Ali Abdullah Saleh allies). http://nationalyemen.com/2016/11/23/isis-executes-security-col-in-aden/http://www.arabnews.com/node/1013601/middle-easthttp://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2016/11/25/Saudi-Arabia-Militias-launch-11-missiles-on-al-Tuwal.htmlhttp://yemen.liveuamap.com/en/2016/25-november-saudi-arabia-militias-launch-11-missiles-on-altuwal

Kelcie Bons, North Korea crisisEarlier this week, on wednesday 23rd of October 2016, Japan and South Korea signed an intelligence sharing deal. They will directly share their information on North Korea (confidential and secret). The event is recounted by AFP (the “Agence France Presse”) in a french news source l’express. It is explained that the information used to pass by Washington and that this new agreement will permit a more “linear and fast” exchange of information, as the japonese minister of foreign relations said. The South Korean minister of defense justified this by expressing its necessity because of the menace from North Korea is getting bigger, he thinks they are ready at any point to once again test a nuclear weapon and send more test missiles. He also explained how the security is reinforced, according to Paula Hancocks in her CNN article, he said that japan invested more in national defense and could therefore monitor and detect a lot of information useful to South Korean protection from the North Korean nuclear threat. She also talks about the opposition of some South Koreans to this deal as “anti-Japanese sentiment still lingers”. There was a protest in Seoul against this alliance with Japan as Japan is considered an enemy by some do to their recent harsh occupation. Jane Periez in an article in the New York Times, assumes that Donald Trump is thinking more in terms of security when it comes to China, as it is crucial in the controlling of North Korea. She bases this assumption on his visit this week to the New York Times where he “referred obliquely to a “big problem for the country”” which is believed to be a reference to North Korea. He had indeed already said that China should do more to bear down on the North. http://www.lexpress.fr/actualites/1/monde/coree-du-nord-seoul-et-tokyo-vont-partager-leurs-renseignements_1853161.htmlhttp://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/23/asia/south-korea-japan-military-intelligence/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/world/asia/donald-trump-china-trade-security.html

Rémi Masia-Depardieu, Destabilization of MaliSince 2013, the French army is helping the Malian government and military to regain control of the Northern half of the country. The three main regions or cities they are trying to regain control of are Gao, Timbuktu, and Kidal. Since the Barkhane operation, the two allied armies have presence in the city of Gao. Since then they have been fighting the religious coalition’s militants for control. As we can see in Joel Saget’s photos, published on The Telegraph, the rule of the islamists is nearing its end, as the French and Malian troops seized gear from their opponents, and made prisoners. On the other hand, one of leaders of the MNLA, Moussa Ag-Assarid, was interviewed by Le Monde in Paris. He affirms he still is devoted to this cause, and hopes for the separation of the country into two: Mali in the Southern region, and Azawad in the Northern region, despite the Alger accords, which as reported by Seidik Abba “tie together, the Malian state, the Platform (pro-governmental militias), and the Coordination of the Movements of Azawad (CMA) which predicts neither independence, neither autonomy, but a form of pushed decentralisation in the Northern region of Mali” (translated by author). Therefore, the conflict is stuck at a diplomatic debate.

The Saudi-led coalition stated the truce initiated on Saturday suffered “180 violations in the first 10 hours of the ceasefire”, 150 in Yemen and 30 in Saudi-Arabian territory. (http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/calm-in-some-parts-of-yemen-while-violence-elsewhere-threatens-truce) According to the Saudi-led coalition spokesman General Ahmed Assiri, the Houthi’s inability to comply with its conditions ended it (https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201611221047689788-yemen-clashes-resume-un/) as the aforementioned group regarded the truce as an attempt to enfeeble last week’s Oman accords, (https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20161120-rockets-into-saudi-arabia-reported-air-strikes-in-yemen-strain-truce/), olive branch extended by John Kerry, affirming the Houthi would need to leave Yemen’s major cities and form a national unity government, announcement rejected by the Hadi government wishing to form a joint government. (https://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2016/Nov-22/382371-yemen-truce-will-not-be-renewed-coalition.ashx)Since the 22nd of November, more than 40 people were killed after the fragilely held 48-hour ceasefire. Most of the fighting unfolded in Taiz, with 11 rebel fighters and 5 pro-Hadi soldiers killed, and a horrifying average of 200 wounded over the past 72 hours. (http://www.startribune.com/red-cross-warns-of-desperate-situation-in-yemen-s-taiz/402483525/)The coastal town of Midi, controlled by Pro-Hadi forces, is violently targeted as the Houthi try to overtake its harbour, costing the lives of 18 rebels and 7 Hadi soldiers. (http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/19-killed-in-renewed-yemen-clashes-after-ceasefire-ends/story-G9FkXn2kCXDczPnGYOVn9I.html)

In a post written by Echo Huang on Quartz, a guide to global economy, last Friday, China has been confiscating passports from the Muslim Uyhgurs in the Xinjiang region. As the state mouthpiece stated this will help the government to “maintain social order” in an ongoing effort to reduce terrorism in the region but it has also taken other even more extreme action like silencing protestors and killing mobile phone lines.

The newspaper Global Times quoted the Xinjiang City public security administration saying “those who refuse to hand in their passports should bear the responsibility themselves if they are forbidden from going abroad”.China is trying to prevent the population from fleeing the country using fake passports. According to the same post about 50,000 passports would be collected in Shihezi.

This event once again shows how Chinese government tries to prevent Uyghur acts by blocking the Uyghur community’s movement, speech to avoid revolution's and terrorism but this prevention comes through extremist acts.

The economic relationship between China and the United States is fundamental, not only for each country’s financial health but for the gobal economy as well. The US fears China’s currency manipulation and are concerned by their cyber security, which led Trump to say: “We can’t continue to allow China to rape our country, and that’s what they’re doing.”. Many economists have said China’s ongoing economic slowdown would propably have negative effects globally, just like their massive use of coal is damaging the earth’s environment and contributing to global warming. The latest concern is not China itself, but the Philippines where President Rodrigo Duterte is reversing decades of foreign policy tradition. The US sees the Philippines as their biggest ally in Asia, but recently Duterte said he wanted “seperation from the United States”, both militarily and economically, in able to have a closer relationship with China. This might strongly affect China’s ambitions and might change the way the world views the fight for the South China Sea.

The pilgrimage of Arbaeen took place two days ago, in spite of ISIS threats. The pilgrimage is a march to the city of Karbala, and marks the end of the mourning period that follows Ashura. This ritual commemorates the death of Muhammad's grandson in 680 A.D. Thousands of people were present for the occasion. Nusayyef al-Khattab, the leader of the march even estimated that there would be around 17 to 20 million muslims in the span of four days. Most decided to travel on foot, even if it meant pacing next to ISIS land. ISIS has already done many frequent attacks on the pilgrimage. ISIS has also warned Nusayyef al-Khattabi that they would be a target and “may seek to strike Baghdad or Karbala during Arbaeen”. A suicide bombing killed around six people last week in Karbala. This pilgrimage is not just for Arbaeen, but it also is an attack against the “Islamic State”.

Although most of Boko Haram has been pushed back into the Sambisa Forest, the group still orchestrates attacks in neighboring regions. On Monday, three presumably Boko Haram attacks occurred within 24 hours in northern Cameroon. Only one resulted in casualties other than the attackers themselves; in the fishing town of Darak, 6 soldiers perished. George Akume, Chairman of the Nigerian Senate Committee on Army, said on Thursday that “Boko Haram terrorists are seeking relevance by bombing soft targets because they have been decimated by troops.” However, in the region of Lake Chad (bordering Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Nigeria) currently, almost a million people are prevented from receiving humanitarian aid according to Nigeria’s news site “Daily Trust” and approximately 27 000 according to the Indian “NDTV” media company (both cite UN officials, one announced it on Tuesday and the other on Friday). Because Boko Haram controls parts Lake Chad for its fishing industry, the UNHCR is having trouble reaching those refugees, despite a regional task force battling for control of the lake. A UN team has however been able to meet some of these people, spokesman Leo Dobbs says they are in “urgent need” and that the UNHCR “would like to help and have helped in a little way, but the continuing Boko Haram threat is a hindrance to regular access".

A new and sturdier fence is being built along the heavily militarized Line of Control. According to Firstpost, an Indian news source, this might be the “answer to mounting [surmounting?] infiltration problems.” Lieutenant General DS Hooda claims that it will be more effective than the fences built since 2003-04. However, there appears to be no end in sight to the brutal conflict between the Indian- and Pakistani- administered portions of Kashmir; cross-border firings continue to happen on a regular basis. On November 23, Pakistan claimed that cross-border firing by India killed at least 11 civilians and 3 soldiers (Voice of America). There has been no word from India on the casualty count, and numbers seem to vary depending on the source: according to the Washington Post, heavy cross-border shelling in Kashmir killed at least three Pakistani soldiers and seven Indian troops. Furthermore, tension has soared after Indian fire hit a Pakistani passenger bus in Kashmir (also on November 23), killing 10 people (The New York Times). The attack was ranked as “one of the deadliest incidents in weeks of violence in the disputed Himalayan region” (NYT). Finally, Pakistan named a new military leader on November 26: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan chose Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa to lead the country’s powerful army. According to the New York Times, Bajwa is “a military commander with a solid soldierly reputation and a firm belief in civilian supremacy.”

Over the past week, Obama has been trying to warn Trump of North Korea’s increasingly alarming threats toward Washington. As said by Gorgon G. Chang, Kim Jong Un “can press a button and send three types of missiles to the lower 48 states”. Obama has been working on fighting the DPRK’s hostile development through economic sanctions. He also said that North Korea should now be considered the “top national security priority”. However, president-elect Donald Trump, stated he would rather help arm South Korea, Japan and other threatened neighboring countries. Moreover, Trump refuses to genuinely cooperate with China, the fact of the matter is, this country is an essential key (as stated by Gerald F. Seib) to fighting North Korea --due to their proximity and “positive” relations. At this time, it is crucial to make Pyongyang’s rise in power one of the main concerns for American foreign threats. Donald Trump cannot underestimate this situation which could plausibly ignite a thermonuclear war.

On November 8, one girl was killed and 32 UN Indian peacekeepers were wounded in an explosion in Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The peacekeepers were checking the area when an explosive device of unclear origin exploded. Spokesmen say that the attack deliberately targeted the peacekeepers because they were unarmed and the explosive device was hidden and remotely controlled. However, attacks with explosive devices are extremely rare in Congo so the responsible were not identified clearly. Today, on November 27, 2016, 34 civilians were killed in an attack on Hutu village by the militiamen of Nande in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Around 5:00 in the morning, the Luhanga village, in the Central East of the North Kivu Province, was attacked by Mai-Mai Mazembe, members of the group Nande. They started attacking the FARDC, the Congolese army, while another group shooted the population. In this area, tensions are high between the Nande, the Kobo, and the Hutu group. These conflicts lead to intercommunal violence related to land disputes that cause many deaths.

Emma Ghafari – Conflict in UkraineFollowing governor Saakashvili’s resignation in protest of corruption (The Wall Street Journal, 2016), many protesters in support of Saakashvili took to the streets in Kyiv, on November 27 2016 (liveuamap, 2016). On November 25, Yanukovich was questioned over EuroMaidan murders at a press conference held in Rostov (KyivPost, 2016). Meanwhile, Russian soldiers attack Mariupol with armor, mortars and tanks on November 22 (UkraineToday, 2016). Moreover, loud fighting occurs in Yasynuvata on November 26 (liveuamap, 2016).

In Greece: A mother and her child were killed Thursday by a fire at an asylum detention centre of Moria on the island of Lesbos. This triggered riots and fights in between refugees and police. The city of Athens wishes to empty the Souda camp in Chios, as a result of the many incidents that have occurred there these past few days. For example, last week assailants tossed petrol bombs and stones at tents. In Turkey: On Friday, President Erdogan threatened to open the borders towards Europe for migrants. This was a reaction to the vote at the European Parliament to freeze negotiations on new EU memberships on Thursday. However, the EU Commission declared shortly after Erdogan’s statement that ties with Turkey stay the same. This week, the French government stated they are now offering €2,500 to migrants who return to their countries voluntarily before the end of the year.

Ito - BurundiBurundi was not the only country to recently withdraw from the International Criminal Court: between October and November 2016, Gambia and South Africa also made this decision. While Burundi claimed to be “exercising its sovereign powers” (Koigi, Euractiv) by doing so, it most likely wants to avoid investigation of crimes committed by the government. Overall, the three countries defy the court’s intentions and are accusing it of bias because most of the cases it is currently investigating are African. On November 23rd, Fatou Bensouda, the ICC’s prosecutor, and a native of Gambia, said “her investigations into alleged war crimes would not be impacted by (this) and she would keep going after the perpetrators of atrocities” (Reuters). While the other member countries have renewed their support to the court, Bensouda says that “even if one country decides to withdraw from the ICC”, it is a “setback for the continent”.

The Syrian governments quest to retake the eastern part of Aleppo continues, and notable progress has been made as the Syrian government forces have retaken control of Jabal Badro (BBC NEWS). Syrian representatives claim that the district situated in south-east Aleppo is the second one that has been fully retaken by the government forces after Hanano district situated just south of it. Rebel forces have yet to confirm this, however, it undeniable that Assad's troops are gaining terrain in East Aleppo. These recent conquests give the Syrian Army a considerable leap forward as Hanano was the largest rebel-controlled area in East-Aleppo. Of course, these assaults come with civilian casualties; 219 civilians were killed amongst the 275,000 currently under siege (BBC NEWS).

In recent news Libya is faced with activists in Tripoli encourage residents to join the demonstrating against their terrible living condition(Libya Herald). Today two LNA defense men were killed in Misrata in Al-Jazeera(Libya Observer). Moreover the LNA launched an airstrike on Kilinja in the Kufra district in southeastern Libya on the 27( Libya Herald). Libya dawn’s media chef was released on the 26th in the capital(Libya News Today). Early on in the week the HoR’s cabinet secretary disappeared without a trace( Herald). Furthermore a family was slaughtered in Khoms on the 26th(Observer). South Korea gave one million dollars to Libya for “stabilization projects” on the 25th(Herald). Sirte continues to face airstrikes which amounted to nine a day on Tuesday(News Today). Bunyan Marsous fighters blew up the leftover properties in the IS home Marine Giza district in Sirte, at least 37 “terrorists” died from the 22nd to the 23rd there(News Today). In Benghazi the LNA believing they now have control over Ganfouda set out to control Sabri and Suq Al-Hud districts(News Today). November 23 another migrant boat sunk of the Libyan coast(Herald). Sebha’s “Monkey War” came to its conclusion thanks to an agreement of both parties even if a few shots were exchanged on Saturday(News Today). People protest against the many abductions and torturing from Haftar’s “Operation Dignity”(Observer).Three people met their end thanks to an explosion near Al-Jalaan Hospital in Benghazi the 21st(Observer). A number of important Mistartans and Tawerghas met at Tobascus hotel in Tripoli the 21st to discuss peoples support in order for their reconciliation to function(Observer). Southern municipalities unsatisfied call for the creation of a fourth government(Observer).http://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/news-roundup-sun-nov-27-2016http://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/news-roundup-sat-nov-26-2016http://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/news-roundup-thu-nov-24-2016http://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/news-roundup-wed-nov-23-2016http://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/news-roundup-tue-nov-22-2016http://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/news-roundup-mon-nov-21-2016https://www.libyaherald.com/category/libya/page/2/https://www.libyaherald.com/category/libya/http://www.libyanewstoday.com/category/libya/

On November 21st, a suicide bombing kills many in a Shia mosque in Kabul. According to the Afghan police, 27 died and 12 people were wounded, but according to the UN, 32 were dead and more than 5O wounded (Al Jazeera). It is the 3rd attack since July to be directed towards the Shia muslims in Afghanistan (Al Jazeera). The attacks was claimed to be made by ISIS, and the Taliban were not involved (Al Jazeera).The Shia muslims constitutes about 15% of the Afghan population, and is a minority in the muslim population in the world (Islamic Web). The bombing happened on a religious day, called the Arbaeen, marking the end of the mourning of the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson (Al Jazeera).Both ISIS and the Taliban are against the Shia beliefs, and they faced violence from both groups (Al Jazeera).

Paul ISIS Iraq, Iraqi forces’ quest to recapture the city of Mosul is still going on today, they’re advancing slowly and trying to get rid of all the obstacles (traps, bombs,...) that ISIS set on the surroundings of the city. However it has been reported that Iraqi forces are still leading air strikes on Mosul to kill as many ISIS fighters (hiding and sheltered there) as possible. According to “The Middle East Monitor”, in the past week, these air strikes have killed 86 ISIL terrorists and Al-Asadi (spokesman of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units) claims that Iraqi land troops have freed dozens of families nearby Mosul. This offensive led against ISIS appears to be useful as local forces won back three more villages on the West side of Mosul: Maflakieh, al-Fatseh and al-Ajbouri. Close to these villages were also found two mass graves this week suggesting some kind of mass execution from daesh.

Olivine Silier Kashmir Conflict28/11 Three uyghur men have been detained for espionage in India since June 2013 despite their demands for asylum and their claims that they are fleeing China’s oppressive regime. They will now be sent back to China against their will despite declaring that they risk death in their homeland.

November 22th, 2016, Turkey issued an arrest warrant for Salih Muslim, co-chairman of the PYD (Democratic Union Party), a US-backed Kurdish group based in Syria. The warrant is based on a suicide bomb attack on a bus in February, which killed 29 people; the attack was claimed by a group with connections to the PKK. Salih Muslim claims that his group has no connections or relations beyond Syria, and that he considers it an internal affair of Turkey: "It's not true. We don't have any relation with any organisation outside of Syria. It's an internal matter for Turkey. It wasn't related to Syria at all,"-Salih Muslim.While the US differentiates the PKK and the PYD, Ankara considers them all part of the same terrorist group.

In the past couple of days many things have happened including a car bombing in Mogadishu, the capital, which killed 20 civilians. There has also been an armed attack in Lanta-Buro which is situated in Lower Shabelle region. Al-Shabaab attacked the Somali government forces. During this process many people including women and children were injured, and many were killed. People and sources have also been saying that they have seen dead al-Shabaab soldiers’ bodies amongst the injured and dead civilians. The terrorists managed to take control of Lanta-Buro, but shortly after the government soldiers took over once again. About 30 km northwest of Mogadishu, near Afgoye, al-Shabaab ambushed a military convoy with Somali soldiers in it. As a general overview many people have noticed that the number of attacks on civilians, government officials, and military troops has augmented tremendously in the past few weeks.

Between Tuesday, November 22nd of 2016, and Wednesday of the same week, a total of 32 corpses and 9 heads with no bodies were found in mass graves in the southern state of Guerrero, says BBC news (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38100270). An anonymous tip led the authorities to search the rural surroundings of the village of Pochahuixco, their investigations tragically rewarded by the discovery of the graves in 17 different locations. The bodies have yet to be identified. The 9 heads are thought to belong to 9 decapitated bodies found earlier this week in the near village of Tixtla.Guerrero is one of the most violent Mexican States, as The Telegraph reminds us (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/25/nine-human-heads-32-bodies-found-mexico-mass-graves/). It has staged violent oppositions of rather small-scaled cartels ever since the more powerful Beltran Leyva Organization, formerly dominant in the region, was deprived of its leadership in the late 2000’s. As of today, gangs such as the Guerreros Unidos, or Los Rojos, which are most likely responsible for the mass graves, fight violent turf wars to control the opium production, very present in Guerrero.

Hundreds of wildfires ravage through Northern Israel and Palestine, causing terror and the evacuation of tens of thousands of people. PM Netanyahu: a considerable number” of wildlfires are set by Palestinian arson in acts of “terrorism.”http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/24/world/middleeast/israel-fires.html

Israeli police arrests 22 under suspicion of arson or incitment to arson.Arab leaders warn Israel from “placing accusations without proof.”Jamal Zahalka, from the Palestinian bloc in the Israeli Parliament :“when elected, officials choose to enhance the division in the Israeli society and add fuel to the fire.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/world/middleeast/israel-wildfires-arson.html

Matteo Valderrama- DRC violenceEarly this Sunday, 27/11/16, at least 34 civilians were killed in the Northern Kivutian lands in DRC. These killings are attributed to a major militia called Mai-Mai Mazembe, one of many warlord led militias in the resource-rich Kivutian highlands. The tribe acted in two groups, one attacking a Congolese Army camp and the other attacking sleeping civilians by barging in their homes. People were able to escape by hearing the gunshots and running out of their homes into the bushes however many were shot as they entered the bushes leaving reasonable belief that the death toll is higher. These tensions add on to year-long violence in between ethnic groups in DRC with the majority of the victims being Hutus and the attackers supposedly being Nande, two opposing tribes.Furthermore, tensions in between DRC and the US are growing as the US have now imposed sanctions on the government which will only be lifted in the case that President Kabila steps down by December 19th, official date of the end of his presidency, or through fair and non corrupt elections electing a new president. These sanctions include a thorough investigation of money laundering activities possibly enacted by officials delaying the election process.http://www.worldbulletin.net/africa/180775/militia-kills-34-people-in-democratic-republic-of-congohttp://www.enoughproject.org/blogs/republicans-democrats-unite-pass-important-resolution-drc-urging-financial-pressure-support-cohttp://www.voanews.com/a/dozens-massacred-in-drc-ethnic-violence/3613280.html

Lucca Stagno Al Shabaab in Somalia As we come closer to the Somali elections at the end of the month, Al Shabaab has been increasing its activity against both civilians and governmental forces. Garowe Online reports Al Shabaab are behind a car bomb attack on a vegetable market that killed 20 people yesterday in Mogadishu, an attack on a military base manned by governmental forces in Lanta Buro (Lower Shabelle region) by heavily armed men who briefly took control over the region before being ousted by the Somali National Armed Forces, and the ambush of a military convoy near the district of Afgoye (Lower Shabelle region) transporting troops.Article: http://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-al-shabaab-carries-out-separate-attacks-in-somalia

(I just realized I'm behind on one report. I'm sorry of the tardiness of this entry)

On November 26th a US led air strike destroyed an Al Shabaab tax office and killed at least 6 Al Shabaab militants stationed in a camp in the southern Somali town of Dugulle. This attack was part of an anti terror organisation led by the United States to rid Somalia of extremist groups threatening the political stability of the country. Troops were said to be dropped off near the town in the southern Shabelle region before exchanging gun fire with the Islamic radicalists hiding in the town. This is not the first time the United States aids the Somali National Armed Forces with air strikes in strategic areas. The most notable was in 2014 when one of such air strikes killed the then-Emir of Al Shabaab, Ahmed Godane. Article: http://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-airstrikes-hit-al-shabaab-base-kills-6-militants

On the 21st of Novembre Duerte's, the Philippine's contraversial leader, has daclared the entire Scarborough Soal a no fishing zone for Filipino and Chinese fishermen. This announcement goes against previous reports of an agreement between the Chinese and Filipino government to let fishing boats enter the Scarborough Shoal. Banning fishing in the region completely could be the first signs of Filipino desire to cede the shoal to China as the waters had been fishing waters for Filipino fishermen before the Chinese blockade in 2012. This would give China a strategic triangle that would allow Beijing to control the South China Sea.Lately the Philippines and China have been forging a good relationship. The Philippines has recieved $9 billion dollars in credit and $6 billion in soft loans with China’s Baiyin Nonferrous announcing plans to establish a $700 million stainless steel plant in the Philippines. This alarming switch of allegiance is not surprising after tensions have surfaced with the US. Duerte has insulted Obama on a number of occasions and even announced the October joint military exercises would be the last in order to avoid getting dragged into a conflict with China because of the US due to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty stating the two nations would support each other fully if ever one were to be attacked by an external force. The Global Conflict Tracker claims the tensions in the South China Sea could have a critical impact on U.S interests and the conflict is worsening.

According to the kurdish newspaper Rudaw, Kurdistan is hosting over 55,000 refugees from Mosul, because of the occuring battles to liberate the city occupied by ISIS. The camps of Hassan Sham and Khazir hosting the familles are financed by the Kurdistan Regional Government, but also by the Iraqi government and the United Nations. Approximately 2,500 refugees come everyday into the Kurdish region. However, many other families are returning to their villages in areas now safe from ISIS troops. On November 20th, according to the news source Hurriyet Daily News, one Turkish soldier died succombing to wounds he got during a PKK attack in the province of Diyarbakir. A clash of fire opposed the security forces attempted to arrest the militants and the militants of the PKK themselves. http://rudaw.net/mobile/english/kurdistan/28112016http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-soldier-killed-in-pkk-attack-in-diyarbakir.aspx?pageID=238&nID=106574&NewsCatID=341